Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brissago Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brissago

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $3,519 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $5,370 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $7,222 in Brissago, rent included.

Medellin is about 71% cheaper than Brissago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Brissago is 163% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$28.31 CHF 23.15

-79.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.6K

$107 CHF 87.8

-69.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$17.52 CHF 14.33

-59.36%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,487

$5.91 CHF 4.83

-71.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,374

$4.93 CHF 4.03

-78.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,324

$4.61 CHF 3.77

-84.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,531

$8.52 CHF 6.97

-79.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$6.07 CHF 4.96

-47.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,426

$2.15 CHF 1.76

-50.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,215

$3.26 CHF 2.67

-59.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,279

$4.28 CHF 3.50

-68.93%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,338

$6.97 CHF 5.70

-67.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$27.90 CHF 22.81

-84.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$35.31 CHF 28.87

-83.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$40.35 CHF 33.00

-78.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,545

$3.50 CHF 2.86

-33.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,546

$2.14 CHF 1.75

-48.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,724

$2.76 CHF 2.26

-46.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,439

$6.95 CHF 5.68

-80.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$2.22 CHF 1.82

-47.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,765

$2.18 CHF 1.78

-46.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,905

$2.53 CHF 2.07

-64.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,708

$1.14 CHF 0.93

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,490

$11.22 CHF 9.18

-79.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$12.54 CHF 10.25

-4.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,693

$1.89 CHF 1.55

-39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,791

$2.37 CHF 1.94

2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$3.98 CHF 3.25

-78.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.4K

$98.2 CHF 80.3

-58.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,541

$7.85 CHF 6.42

-82.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,160

$4.26 CHF 3.48

-55.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$92.2 CHF 75.4

-91.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,037

$2.24 CHF 1.83

-58.04%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$41.1K CHF 33.6K

-56.67%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$57.8K CHF 47.3K

-53.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.3 COP 267.9K

$377 CHF 309

-77.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$59.8 CHF 48.86

-83.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$58.8 CHF 48.06

-58.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.2K

$86.7 CHF 70.9

-70.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$24.90 CHF 20.36

-83.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$307 COP 986.5K

$3,373 CHF 2,758

-90.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$40.3K CHF 33.0K

-85.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.9K

$153 CHF 125

-60.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.1K

$68.2 CHF 55.7

-52.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.2K

$172 CHF 141

-41.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.6K

$184 CHF 151

-41.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$1,695 CHF 1,386

-71.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$1,460 CHF 1,194

-74.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$2,800 CHF 2,290

-70.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$2,465 CHF 2,015

-71.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

$14.5K CHF 11.9K

-78.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

$13.7K CHF 11.2K

-89.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

2.52

432.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Brissago: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,695 in Brissago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $107 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $631 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Brissago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,018 in Medellin, $3,519 in Brissago – roughly 246% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $5,278 in Brissago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 228% more in Brissago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $107 in Brissago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Brissago at $3,519. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brissago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,018 in Medellin to $3,519 in Brissago. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brissago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.